Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1887-01-07
HIS LAST RESriNGRLAcE,
Reminiscense of tho Explosion af tho
Man-of-War Westfield,

- AsoAAtAAoSoNSo w tAc A1Hpip9Wi4 III tAV
Man-of-War Westfleld,
Galveston Cor. Globc-Democrat,]
Two miles and half to the northwurd OF
tpis city lies = small sand i>let, but few
feet above ordinary tide, known as "Peliean
Spit from the large number Of those
aquatic birds rosortng there. The waters
OF the bay in this legality abound with fish,
and it was for the purp ,se Of playing angler
that the reporter found himself one morn
ing anchored in Bolivar channel, few hun
drel yards north CT tho "Spit," and the
ruins OF tho rebel batteries upon it. Noticing
huge mass Of iron prof ,oting few inches
above the surface OF the water, and markell
by "trpod" to give passing re selS warn
ing OF tho obstruction, inquiry was made Of
the ex-naval officer accompanying the party
as to what it wa.
"That," responded the gentle man, Ms all
there Is to mark the last Festing- place of
CommQdoFe Renshaw, of ths United States
navy, who was in command of the fleet
when Galveston was recapturel by Magru-
der and the rebels on the lst Of January,
1853. On that morning Magruder made a
land attack with infantry and artillery,
which was supplemented with naval at.
tack Of acotton.clad" gunboats 4nder oom-
mapd OF Commodore Icon Smith, who
afterward was murdered by drunken
Indian in Alaska, Magrpder and his land
forces were repuled by the Federal feet,
and were about to retreat, when the cotton
clads came down the bay and carried the
Harriet Lane by boarding, after nearly all
iron marks the spot where the man of. war
Westdeld, the fag<hip of Commodore
Renshaw, lay aground and unable to move.
"Finding the tide of battle had turned
against him, Commodore Renshaw sienaled
a retreat, and removing his officers and
men to the gunboat Owasoo, applied slow
match to the Westfeld's magazine in order
to prevent her from falling into the hands
OF the victors, Several m'Ments elapsing
and no explosion occurring, the commodore
took Midshipman Zimmerman and boats
crew and FetArpsl to the West6eld TO see
what ths difficulty was Just after they
got alongside and mounted the ships deck
deafeniag explosion which was heard for
LOO miles. teok place, and the air was filed
with fragments OF the ship and the ill
starred boats oraw, not ono Of whom was
eyer. seen again. That Is how Renshaw
died. and to this day the place is known
as the West6eld. The Federal feet then
steamed out of ths bay. leaving. the rebels
ip poasessionI and they in few days sent
divers down into the wreck an | recovered a
portion of the ships armament of Q-inch
Dahlgreq shell guns WHICH they placel in
shore batteries. whero they remained until
the close of the war;
"While RepsAaw. tho Federal commander,
expired amid the ruin: Of his ship AMI the
defeat Of his forces. it was reserved for the
victorious Magruder to tnd his days in in
digence in Houston hotel, to have his in
animate clay brought from that place to
this city amid grand flourish of trumpets
and the Iromise OF a magnificent monument,
to 9 showed into private vault in the
cemetery. where it remains to-day, un.
marked. and only under the sufferance of
the ewner-Michael Cahil--a Texan vet